Pappa_Bjorn
Novice
On the 25th of september I pitched a split apple cider batch. Neither carboy started. Tragedy struck when I had to abandon my cider-babies due to work.
Yesterday, oct 11th, 16 days later, I open one carboy that's been sitting under airlock at 20C/68F - no CO2 having replaced the air mind you - to dump. ...But it smells nice. I taste it. Tastes nice. A bit cardboard-y? And the sulphur isn't a bonus but still, no infection related off taste that I could detect in this almost drinkable apple juice. It just has way too much malic acid and tannin.
So I'm thinking, could this cider rise from the dead? In order to make the must habitable (even EC-1118 died!) and to mute the acidity/tannins, I'd add dextrose+H2O simple syrup, bump the ABV up a bit to ~11%, and throw in some store bought apple juice. I already have a mighty name; The 'Lazaros' Apfelwein.
Can it be done?
Yesterday, oct 11th, 16 days later, I open one carboy that's been sitting under airlock at 20C/68F - no CO2 having replaced the air mind you - to dump. ...But it smells nice. I taste it. Tastes nice. A bit cardboard-y? And the sulphur isn't a bonus but still, no infection related off taste that I could detect in this almost drinkable apple juice. It just has way too much malic acid and tannin.
So I'm thinking, could this cider rise from the dead? In order to make the must habitable (even EC-1118 died!) and to mute the acidity/tannins, I'd add dextrose+H2O simple syrup, bump the ABV up a bit to ~11%, and throw in some store bought apple juice. I already have a mighty name; The 'Lazaros' Apfelwein.
Can it be done?